Just bought a model 5 with a 0200 and flys fairly good but seems tail heavy.
About what is the normal weight on the tailwheel setting in 3 point attitude with full fuel tanks? Thanks in advance
Just bought a model 5 with a 0200 and flys fairly good but seems tail heavy.
About what is the normal weight on the tailwheel setting in 3 point attitude with full fuel tanks? Thanks in advance
My model 5 was 53# at the original weighing, but that was done with the aircraft leveled longitudinally. This is a very forward CG and barely passed the most adverse forward CG calculation.
A quick check with a W&B calculator shows that if you tailwheel weighs around 75# you would have a tail heavy plane that would not be capable of carrying much cargo without exceeding the aft CG. If the tailwheel is 80# you would be out of of CG with a passenger or just a few pounds of cargo.
Do you know if your plane has one degree of forward sweep? It should if you have a heavy engine.
Phil Nelson
A&P-IA, Maintenance Instructor
KF 5 Outback, Cont. IO-240
Flying since 2016
My model 7 with empty tanks, level attitude, and an o200 is 58lbs on the tail. No wing sweep.
John McBean said that weight was perfect for the tail.
SS7 O-200 Whirlwind
My 7SS is 819# empty with 59# on the tailwheel.
John Evens
Arvada, CO
Kitfox SS7 N27JE
EAA Lifetime
Chap. 43 honorary Lifetime
Just Completed my model 5 and just did the weight and balance on actual airplane scales.
912 ULS, Tanks Empty, plane leveled.
798 pounds total weight. Tail weighs 73 pounds
On the EXCEL spreadsheet, anything less than #70 on the tail makes my forward CG out of it's forward limit. My mains measured forward of the datum by so they are -3"
Phil Nelson
A&P-IA, Maintenance Instructor
KF 5 Outback, Cont. IO-240
Flying since 2016
My S7 STi with 0-320 is 56lbs. Zero wing sweep and 963 empty. Empty CG is right on the Fore end so I can use all my baggage. Usually toting about 50 lbs of survival gear and whatnot around. EDIT: this is leveled, Not sitting on 3 point
S7 STi O-320 currently flying
It seems as though W&B data can vary quite a bit between somewhat similarly configured and powered airplanes. I have a 912ULS also. My prop is a 3-blade 70" Whirlwind. Mostly steam gauges, T3 tail-spring & lightweight 8" Matco pneumatic tailwheel & 22" Desser tundra tires. Oratex covering. My empty weight was measured with 1 gallon of fuel, oil & coolant and in flight-level attitude (as it should be), with certified electronic scales. This is my empty W&B form (I've got the same form filled-out with multiple common loading conditions for me that I keep handy for quick go/no-go decisions -
Weight & Balance 8-3-18.pdf
John Evens
Arvada, CO
Kitfox SS7 N27JE
EAA Lifetime
Chap. 43 honorary Lifetime
Last edited by Jerrytex; 06-27-2022 at 07:14 PM.